2022-11-02T11:39:28.053Z

DJI Mavic 3 Classic – the leaks so far

Based on leaks from @JasperEllens (above) and WinFuture (opens in new tab), it looks pretty likely that we’ll see a DJI Mavic 3 Classic drone land in just over an hour. But what specs might it have?

WinFuture claims that the “DJI Mavic 3 Classic is basically almost 100 percent identical to the regular DJI Mavic 3”, apart from one main detail – the removal of the current drone’s telephoto camera.

This has apparently been done for cost reasons, allowing DJI to sell the Mavic 3 Classic for a lower price tag (see the ‘Is this the pricing?’ post below). If true, this is how DJI’s drone would shape up in terms of specs:

Camera: 20MP Four Thirds sensor
Video quality: 5.1K up to 50fps / 4K up to 120fps / FHD up to 200fps
Video transmission range: Up to 9 miles
Storage: 8GB, expandable via microSD card
Battery: up to 46 minutes flight time
Weight: 895g
Dimensions (unfolded): 347.5x283x107.7mm
Dimensions (folded): 221×96.3×90.3mm

2022-11-02T10:55:16.727Z

The view from the Mavic 3

Looking for a taste of the kind of video quality you might be able to expect from the rumored DJI Mavic 3 Classic? The one above collates some of the tests shots for our DJI Mavic 3 review.

If the Mavic 3 Classic does indeed have the same sensor (only without that drone’s telephoto lens), then that’s likely to give us a good idea of what to expect. 

Our review said that “image quality from the main camera for stills and video is nothing short of excellent overall”, and there still isn’t really another drone in the Mavic 3’s weight class that matches its 20MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor.

2022-11-02T10:13:01.681Z

Is this the pricing?

How much might the rumored DJI Mavic 3 Classic cost? That’s one thing that the rumors and leaks hadn’t been too clear about, until earlier this week.

The Tweet above from regular DJI leaker @JasperEllens on Twitter sounds pretty confident that prices will start at €1,499 (for the drone only), with a bundle including new DJI RC controller costing €1,749.

Based on current DJI pricing, that should work out as around $1,499 / £1,349 / AU$2,399 for the drone on its own, or roughly $1,749 / £1,599 / AU$2,799 for the DJI RC controller bundle. Not cheap, but a decent saving on the DJI Mavic 3’s launch price of US$2,199 / £1,879 / AU$3,099 (which included the old RC-N1 Remote Controller).

2022-11-02T09:46:43.559Z

Decisions, decisions…

As someone who bought the DJI Mini 3 Pro earlier this year, I recently wrote about why I could end up regretting that decision if the DJI Mavic 3 Classic rumors are accurate. 

Not that I’m at all unhappy with the Mini 3 Pro – it’s a brilliant little drone that proved to be great companion on a recent visit to the Lake District in the UK (where I took the shot above). 

But the Mavic 3’s larger body is more stable in windy conditions and getting that Four Thirds sensor for less money than the current model will make it a tempting alternative, particularly if you frequently fly in gloomy conditions.

2022-11-02T08:39:50.403Z

DJI drones: a primer

If you’re new to DJI drones, here’s a quick primer on its current lineup. Despite some fresh competition from the likes of Autel, DJI is still by far the biggest maker of consumer flying cameras – and its range is now split into four sub-brands.

DJI’s small, entry-level drones are the ‘Mini’ series, headed by the DJI Mini 3 Pro. Just above from them is the mid-range ‘Air’ series, which despite the name are slightly bigger and have cameras with larger sensors (like the 1-inch DJI Air 2S, which previously topped of our guide to the best drones you can buy).

But above both of those is the ‘Mavic’ series, which started back in 2016 with the DJI Mavic Pro. The DJI Mavic 3, which packs a large Four Thirds sensor into its folding body, is the spiritual successor to that original model. But with a US$2,199 / £1,879 / AU$3,099 price tag, it isn’t exactly cheap – hence the rumors about a DJI Mavic 3 Classic launching today.

Buzzing around parallel to these three main species of DJI drone is a new FPV model called the DJI Avata. It’s a super-fun intro to FPV flying, but a bit more niche than what we’re expecting to see today.

2022-11-02T08:27:31.219Z

How to watch the DJI launch

How can you tune into today’s DJI launch? There’s now a placeholder on DJI’s official YouTube channel above, which is where the announcement will take place today at 9am EDT / 1pm GMT. If you’re in Australia, that works out as 12am AEDT on November 3.

That means we’re now less than five hours away from the official lift-off, which gives us plenty of time to dig into those Mavic 3 Classic rumors and work out whether it all adds up to a compelling potential Christmas present. As someone who bought a DJI Mini 3 Pro earlier this year, I have some thoughts on that.

2022-11-02T08:19:31.600Z

Hello, I’m Mark (TechRadar’s Cameras editor) and I’ll be your co-pilot for today’s big DJI launch. I’ve covered and tested DJI drones for years going all the way back to the original DJI Spark in 2017, so I’m looking forward to seeing exactly what lands today.

The event’s ‘Explore Vivid’ doesn’t give away a huge amount, but that Hasselblad camera in the teaser poster does point towards a new drone, like the rumored DJI Mavic 3 Classic. So if you’re in the market for a new flying camera (or are just interested in where they’re gliding to next), pull up a seat and join us as we count down to take-off.